The Cullinan Diamond

The Cullinan Diamond

The Premier Mine is the most important and sought-after employer in the entire Cullinan space . Maestro Jewelers is the official consultant and partner of the world’s most famous producers of watches and diamond jewellery. The second-largest segment of the unique stone is Cullinan II, also referred to as the Second Star of Africa. This rectangular cushion-minimize gem weighs 317.four carats and is set in the front of the circlet portion of the British Imperial State Crown.

great star of africa

After weeks of planning, an incision zero.5 inches (1.3 cm) deep was made to allow Asscher to cleave the diamond in a single blow. Making the incision alone took four days, and a metal knife broke on the primary try, but a second knife was fitted into the groove and cut up it clean in two alongside one of four possible cleavage planes. In all, splitting and slicing the diamond took eight months, with three people working 14 hours per day to complete the task. Cullinan II is a cushion shaped minimize diamond, weighing 317.4 carats (63.48 g). It was placed in the midst of the front plate of the British Imperial State Crown .

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Frederick Wells was 18 feet below the earth’s surface when he noticed a flash of starlight embedded in the wall simply above him. His discovery was presented that very same afternoon to Sir Thomas Cullinan, who owned the mine. Cullinan then offered the diamond to the Transvaal provincial authorities, which presented the stone to Britain’s King Edward VII as a birthday reward.

It now weighs fifty five.09carats and is valued by the agency at US $500,000, however is probably value significantly extra. Edward entrusted the cutting of the Cullinan to Joseph Asscher, head of the Asscher Diamond Company of Amsterdam. Asscher, who had reduce the famous Excelsior Diamond, a 971-carat diamond present in 1893, studied the stone for six months earlier than attempting the reduce. On his first attempt, the steel blade broke, with no effect on the diamond. On the second attempt, the diamond shattered exactly as planned; Asscher then fainted from nervous exhaustion.

The diamond was recut into seven smaller stones, the most important of which weighs 32.52ct. The Cullinan was later reduce into 9 massive stones and about 100 smaller ones, valued at tens of millions of dollars all informed. The largest stone is called the “Star of Africa I,” or “Cullinan I,” and at 530 carats, it is the largest-minimize fantastic-high quality colorless diamond on the earth. The second largest stone, the “Star of Africa II” or “Cullinan II,” is 317 carats. Cullinan produced 9 main stones of 1,055.89 carats (211.178 g) in total, plus 96 minor brilliants and a few unpolished fragments weighing 19.5 carats (3.ninety g).

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In April 1905, the rough gem was deposited with Premier Mining Co.’s London sales agent, S. Due to its immense worth, detectives have been assigned to a steamboat that was rumoured to be carrying the stone, and a parcel was ceremoniously locked in the captain’s secure and guarded on the whole journey. It was a diversionary tactic – the stone on that ship was faux, meant to draw those that can be excited about stealing it. Cullinan was sent to the United Kingdom in a plain field through registered publish.

Mary additionally inherited Cullinan VI from Alexandra, and he or she left all her Cullinan diamonds to her granddaughter Elizabeth II in 1953. Cullinans I and II are a part of the Crown Jewels, which belong to the Queen in right of the Crown. Much smaller than its sister diamonds, the Cullinan V is still astounding at 18.8 carats. Heart-shaped, and set at the heart of a brooch with smaller stones surrounding it, it was often worn by Queen Mary in combination with Cullinan diamonds VI and VII. This brooch has been worn by Queen Elizabeth II numerous occasions and is among her favourite pieces of jewellery.

Star Of Africa

On January 25, 1905, on the Premier Mine in Pretoria, South Africa, a 3,106-carat diamond is found during a routine inspection by the mine’s superintendent. Weighing 1.33 pounds, and christened the “Cullinan,” it was the largest diamond ever discovered. All nine Cullinan diamonds are priceless, and all 9 are sometimes out there for public viewing at the Buckingham Palace exhibition or on the Tower of London. Transvaal Prime Minister, Louis Botha, advised buying the diamond for Edward VII as “a token of the loyalty and attachment of the folks of the Transvaal to His Majesty’s throne and person”.

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